U.S. patent number 5,103,971 [Application Number 07/717,788] was granted by the patent office on 1992-04-14 for article carrier.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Riverwood International Corporation. Invention is credited to Richard L. Schuster.
United States Patent |
5,103,971 |
Schuster |
April 14, 1992 |
Article carrier
Abstract
A carrier for articles such as beverage cans of the type that
grip the top portions of the cans so as to suspend them from the
carrier. The upper ends of the cans extend through apertures in the
bottom panel of the carrier, and the chimes or lips of the cans are
engaged by locking tabs surrounding the aperture. Glue flaps
foldably connected to the bottom panel adjacent the can apertures
by connecting flap segments overlie the upper ends of the cans. The
connecting flap segments contain support tabs which assist in
supporting the cans, thereby providing support substantially
throughout the circumference of the cans.
Inventors: |
Schuster; Richard L. (Monroe,
LA) |
Assignee: |
Riverwood International
Corporation (Denver, CO)
|
Family
ID: |
24883512 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/717,788 |
Filed: |
June 14, 1991 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/153 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
71/48 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
71/48 (20060101); B65D 71/40 (20060101); B65D
075/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;206/152,153 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Price; William I.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Quinn; Cornelius P.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A carrier for supporting a plurality of articles each of which
has an upper surface and an outwardly projecting lip adjacent the
upper surface, comprising:
a top panel;
a bottom panel spaced from the top panel and connected thereto by
side panels;
the bottom panel containing a plurality of apertures through which
the upper portions of the articles extend;
a plurality of support tabs foldably connected to the bottom panel
adjacent the apertures and extending generally toward the top
panel, the support tabs engaging the lips of the associated
articles;
a flap overlying at least a portion of the upper surface of at
least one article;
a connecting flap segment foldably connected to one end of the flap
and to the bottom panel adjacent the periphery of the associated
aperture between two spaced support tabs; and
means for engaging the lip on said one article between the portions
engaged by said two spaced support tabs to assist in supporting
said one article.
2. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the top panel is adhered to the
bottom panel along overlapping edges thereof and is also adhered to
the flap.
3. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the means for engaging the lip
on said one article comprises a support tab defined by slits in the
connecting flap segment.
4. The carrier of claim 3, wherein the support tab in the
connecting flap segment is spaced from said two spaced support tabs
a relatively minor distance compared to the widths of such tabs,
whereby the lip of said one article is engaged by closely spaced
locking tabs about the periphery thereof.
5. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the articles are arranged in two
adjacent rows, each row containing a plurality of articles.
6. The carrier of claim 5, including a flap associated with each
aperture, each flap overlying at least a portion of the upper
surface of the associated article.
7. The carrier of claim 1, wherein at least the upper portions of
the articles are cylindrical.
8. The carrier of claim 7, wherein the articles are beverage
cans.
9. The carrier of claim 1, wherein a portion of the foldable
connection between the flap and the connecting flap segment is
defined by a slit.
10. A blank capable of being formed into a carrier for supporting a
plurality of articles each of which has an upper surface and an
outwardly projecting lip adjacent the upper surface,
comprising:
a top panel section;
a bottom panel section;
a first side panel section between and foldably connected to the
top and bottom panel sections;
a second side panel section foldably connected to one of the top or
bottom panel sections;
a flap foldably connected to the second side panel section and
adapted to be overlapped by and adhered to the other of the top or
bottom sections;
the bottom panel section containing a plurality of apertures
adapted to receive the upper portions of the articles;
a plurality of support tabs foldably connected to the bottom panel
adjacent the apertures and adapted to be folded out of the plane of
the bottom panel by articles being moved into position through the
apertures and to engage the lips of the associated articles;
a flap foldably connected to the bottom panel adjacent at least one
of the apertures, the flap adapted to be folded out of the plane of
the bottom panel by an article being moved into position through
said one aperture and further adapted to be folded down so as to
overlie at least a portion of the upper surface of said article;
and
means incorporated in the flap for engaging the lip on said article
to assist in supporting said one article in the carrier.
11. The carrier blank of claim 10, wherein the means for engaging
the lip on said article comprises a support tab defined by slits in
the flap.
12. The carrier blank of claim 11, wherein the support tab in the
flap is spaced from adjacent support tabs a relatively minor
distance compared to the widths of such tabs.
13. The carrier blank of claim 12, including a flap associated with
each aperture, each flap being adapted to overlie at least a
portion of the upper surface of an associated article.
14. The carrier blank of claim 13, wherein each flap has a length
enabling the flaps to overlie at least about half the width of the
top surface of the associated article.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to article carriers. More particularly, it
relates to article carriers that grip the upper portion of articles
so as to suspend them from the carrier.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Carriers that grip the upper portions of articles to enable the
articles to be readily lifted and carried are well known. Their use
in carrying beverage containers is particularly familiar,
especially in connection with beverage cans. For example, plastic
carriers which contain openings that fit over the tops of beverage
cans so as to grip the cans in the reduced neck area just below the
can chimes are often employed. Although economical to produce, such
carriers have certain drawbacks. The thin plastic material at the
finger holes can be painful to the user's fingers when the package
is carried for any length of time. Further, the thin material
required to enable the carrier to be forced over the tops of the
cans limits the weight of the package. For these reasons plastic
carriers are normally not used to carry more than six 12-ounce cans
in a package. In addition, the use of such carriers provides no
space for printed advertising material or other indicia. Further,
discarded plastic carriers have been seen as creating environmental
problems.
Paperboard carriers have been designed for carrying beverage
containers in similar fashion, that is, by gripping the top
portions of containers so that the suspended containers beneath
that point are unenclosed. One such carrier design consists of a
top panel spaced from a bottom panel by short side panels, with the
tops of the beverage containers located in the space between the
top and bottom panels. The containers are introduced to the carrier
through apertures in the bottom panel and typically are held in
place by support tabs which extend up from the bottom panel and
engage the underside of the chimes or other form of outwardly
extending lip on the container. Finger openings in the top panel,
softened by flaps that shield the fingers from paperboard edges,
enable the carrier to be lifted and carried without discomfort.
Paperboard carriers of this type are not only more comfortable to
use, they are quite strong, are inexpensive to manufacture and are
environmentally acceptable. Further, the substantially unbroken
expanse of the top panel provides ample space for printed indicia.
Certain designs, however, make it difficult to engage the container
rim with support tabs throughout the circumference of the
container. For example, it is desirable to provide glue flaps which
extend up from the bottom panel and overlie a portion of the
container tops, placing them in position to be glued to the top
panel. Such glue flaps supplement the usual overlapping type of
glue flap that runs along the edge portions of the carrier. Because
space limitations require the supplemental glue flaps to be
foldably connected to the bottom panel adjacent the aperture
through which the containers extend, the flaps take up a
significant circumferential portion of each aperture, so that there
is no room for a support tab in that location. The lack of support
for the container in this area is a potential weak spot in the
carrier which should be eliminated. Until now, it was not known how
to correct this problem in an economic manner without introducing
still other problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A carrier for lifting and supporting a plurality of articles whose
upper portions extend through apertures in the bottom panel of the
carrier includes a plurality of support tabs foldably connected to
the bottom panel adjacent the apertures. The support tabs extend
generally toward the top panel, engaging outwardly projecting lips
at the tops of the associated articles. In accordance with the
invention, a flap overlying at least a portion of the upper surface
of at least one article is foldably connected to the bottom panel
by a connecting flap segment adjacent the periphery of the
associated aperture between two spaced support tabs, and means are
provided for engaging the lip on the article between the portions
engaged by the two spaced support tabs to assist in supporting the
article. Preferably, the means for engaging the lip comprises a
support tab defined by slits in the connecting flap segment.
The support tab incorporated in the connecting flap segment is
spaced from the two spaced support tabs by a relatively minor
distance compared to the widths of the tabs, whereby the lip of the
article is engaged by closely spaced support tabs extending
substantially uniformly around the periphery of the article.
The features of the invention which enable it to provide the
desired results are brought out in more detail below in connection
with the preferred embodiment, wherein the above and other aspects
of the invention, as well as other benefits, will readily become
apparent.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a carrier incorporating the article
support means of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank for forming the carrier of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial pictorial view showing the support
tabs of the invention engaging a container in a carrier;
FIG. 4 is a partial end view of the carrier and container shown in
FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a partial longitudinal sectional view taken on line 5--5
of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 6 is a partial plan view of the carrier and container shown in
FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, a carrier 10 is comprised of a top panel 12
connected to bottom panel 14 by side panels 16 and 18. The upper
portions of cans C extend through openings in the bottom panel 14,
not visible in this view, and are held by a number of support tabs
of which tabs 20 and 22 are visible. The side panels are very
short, resulting in a quite small space between the top and bottom
panels where the cans are supported. Finger holes covered by tabs
24 foldably connected to the top panel 12 along fold lines 26 are
provided to facilitate lifting the carrier.
Referring to FIG. 2, wherein like reference numerals to those used
in FIG. 1 denote like structure, the carrier is formed from blank
30, which is divided into a top panel section 12, a bottom panel
section 14 and side panel sections 16 and 18. The side panel
section 18 is connected to the top panel section 12 by fold line
32, and to the bottom panel section 14 by fold line 34. The side
panel section 16 is connected to the bottom panel section 14 by
fold line 36 and to glue flap 38 by fold line 40.
Because the carrier chosen to illustrate the invention is designed
to carry six beverage cans, the bottom panel section 14 is provided
with two adjacent rows of three adjacent apertures 42, making a
cluster of six adjacent apertures. Each aperture is ringed by a
series of support tabs connected to the bottom panel along fold
lines coincident with the boundary of the aperture. Thus, each
middle aperture 42 has support tabs 20 connected to the bottom
panel 14 on opposite sides of the aperture along fold lines 46.
Adjacent the outer side of the support tabs 20 are support tabs 48,
connected to the bottom panel along fold lines 50, and between the
tabs 48 is support tab 52, connected to the bottom panel along fold
line 54. Adjacent the support tabs 20 on the opposite or interior
side of the aperture are support tabs 56, connected to the bottom
panel along fold lines 58. Extending between the ends of the tabs
56 and between substantial portions of the ends of the tabs 20 is a
flap 60 which includes a connecting flap segment 62 connected to
the bottom panel along fold line 64. The continuously extending
fold lines 46, 50, 54, 58 and 64 coincide with the edge of the
circular aperture 42. It will be understood that although the shape
of the apertures and the fold lines is circular in order to receive
cylindrical beverage cans, other shapes of apertures corresponding
to the cross-section of different forms of articles could be
provided as necessary.
The support tab arrangement for the end apertures is substantially
the same as for the interior apertures just described. One slight
difference is the fact that the tab 22 near the end of the carrier,
corresponding to the tab 56, is narrower than the tab 56, and the
large tabs 20 at the ends of the carrier is longer than the tabs 20
in the interior of the carrier. This arrangement allows the slit
separating the tabs 22 and 20 to be located farther from the end
edge of the carrier than would be a slit separating the tab 20 from
a tab of the same width as the tabs 56, thereby increasing the
distance between the end of the slit and the edge of the carrier
and lessening the risk of tearing in this area. It will be noted
that although the tabs extend radially inwardly from their fold
lines for varying distances, with the longer tabs such as 20
extending farther than the shorter tabs 48, 52 and 22, all the tabs
in a carrier formed from the blank will contact the lip of an
associated container. The varying tab lengths merely take into
account the curvature of the tabs after they have been pushed out
of the plane of the bottom panel by a cylindrical container.
Within the connecting flap segment 62 are slits 66 which begin at a
point slightly spaced from the fold line 64 and converge until they
meet slit 68, the three slits forming a tab 70 shaped like an
open-ended truncated triangle. Spaced from the slit 68, and
arranged parallel to the slit 68 as well as to side panel sections
16 and 18, is a slit 72 the ends of which are spaced from the edges
of the tabs 56. Finger holes 74 are provided in the interior areas
of the bottom panel between the apertures 42 so that they are
aligned with the finger holes in the top panel section 12 in a
carrier formed from the carrier blank.
In use, the blank of FIG. 2 is positioned on top of a group of six
adjacent cans which have been arranged in two rows of three each so
that the apertures overlie the cans. Relative movement between the
apertures and the cans is caused by applying downward pressure to
the bottom panel section. The relative upward movement of the tops
of the cans pushes the support tabs up until they engage the bottom
of the can chimes. The resiliency or memory of the tabs causes them
to be biased toward the cans so that the support tab edges remain
in contact with the underside of the can chimes. This condition is
illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 3 and 4, which shows the tabs
48, 20 and 22 of an aperture contacting the underside of the chime
of the associated can. As shown, the tabs are separated slightly as
a result of their upward pivoting movement, but still are so
closely spaced that they provide substantially continuous support
around the circumference of the adjacent portion of the can
chime.
When relative movement of a can pushes the tabs up, the flap
connecting segment 62 is also pivoted up, which causes the tab 70
formed by the slits 66 and 68 to be inwardly biased so that the tab
edge contacts the underside of the chime in the same manner as the
other support tabs. Thus the tab 70 provides support for a
substantial portion of the can circumference which otherwise would
be unsupported as a result of the space taken up between tabs by
the connection between the glue flap 60 and the bottom panel. The
engagement of the can chime by the support tab 70 is illustrated in
FIG. 5. As can be seen in FIG. 6, which is a top view of the can
without the top panel of the carrier but with the glue flap 60 in
place, the support tabs provide support throughout the
circumference of the can. Without the tab 70 a substantial portion
of the can circumference would be unsupported.
After the blank has been moved down over the can tops to actuate
the support tabs the blank is folded along lines 32, 34, 36 and 40
to form the side panels and to cause the outer edge portion of the
top panel 12 to overlie the glue flap 38. This action folds the
glue flaps 60 down along the fold line created by the slit 72 into
their final position so that they engage the underside of the top
panel. It will be understood that prior to the folding operation,
glue 76, represented by the stippling in FIGS. 3 and 6 and shown
also in cross-section in FIG. 5, will have been applied to either
the glue flap 38 or the areas of the top panel that engage the glue
flap 38, and also to either the glue flaps 60 or the areas of the
top panel that engage the glue flaps 60.
It will be noted that the glue flaps 60 have been made quite long
so that in the carrier they extend out to about the center of the
can top. This accomplishes several things. It maximizes the area of
the glue flaps 60 in order to strengthen the attachment of the top
panel to the bottom panel, and the resulting strong connection
between the glue flaps 60 and the top panel 12 lessens the chance
of "gapping" or bowing of the top panel with respect to the bottom
panel. Further, by making the flaps extend out to the center of the
cans they will rest on the built-in can opening tabs T, shown in
FIGS. 3 and 6, regardless of the orientation of the can in the
package. Because the can opening tabs extend above the rest of the
can top, this arrangement maintains the glue flaps at a more
elevated position and in a more horizontal plane than a shorter
flap would be and facilitates the application of sufficient
pressure when gluing the top panel to the glue flaps.
To lift a package of cans, the user merely inserts the fingers
through the finger holes in the top panel and the aligned finger
holes 74 in the bottom panel. The tabs 24 are thereby also pushed
down to a vertical position and function as supports for the
fingers when lifting and carrying the package.
It will now be clear that the invention improves the strength of
paperboard carriers designed to carry articles by their top
portions, and guards against the articles coming loose by
supporting them substantially entirely about their entire
periphery. Obviously, although the invention has been described in
connection with a carrier designed to hold six beverage containers
the principles of the invention may be included in carriers
designed to hold a lesser or greater number of articles.
It should also be appreciated that the invention need not
necessarily be limited to all the specific details described in
connection with the preferred embodiment, but that changes to
certain features which do not alter the overall basic function and
concept of the invention may be made without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention defined in the appended
claims.
* * * * *